Review of Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day

Honestly I have to agree with another review that was presented: this story attemps and fails to be as deep and dramatic as people say it is. Sometimes I felt the sadness, I also got bored, felt pleased but overall it was an ok anime. I'll make this short. Story: When I saw the first ep it seemed really original and interesting but it all went to a slow downhill for me from ep 6 or 7. I thought that the story got dragged when all the characters except the MC didn't believe in the presence of their friend. This could have been proven easily atleast around ep 5 instead of around 7.

I did love the themes especially of hallucination, resentment and trauma and how the group had dispersed after the incident but I don't think it was elaborated or deepened enough to make me feel something or cry because these themes were overshadowed by the love sexagon of the group. This is mainly where I am disappointed and the anime looses points in my opinion.

I did like the transition between gathering the group for a specific sort of spiritual/emotional reason and ep 9 and 10 when you realise that what they are doing is an excuse to all find closure. Thought it was beautiful though it didnt end there and in general I thought that the story needed to be better executed from ep 6 to 10 inclusively. Last episode was worth while, but I would have prefered if they couldn't communicate with the dead in the end and find closure without the spirit.

So all of them are still messed up from this loss that happened years ago and all felt guilty. In the last ep or even before that, you realise that it was all because they weren't truthful with themselves all this time. I think the loss happened at least 5years prior to this story. It isnt clear in the anime.

Characters:
It is certain that people change after the death of a loved one. I did like to discover how it affected all of them, especially Yukiatsu, Tsuruko and Anaru. I especially loved when they focused on other aspects than the failed love interest within the group, like when they presented the psychological effect the loss had on the family of the spirit or on the friends, or else I got somewhat bored.

I didn't really like the MC because I usually dislike characters that run away from situations constantly. But I did understand his behavior in the beginning until as I said it went downhill from ep 6 or 7 because at that point the group was getting back together.

Art/Sound:
Standard. No problem with it.